Split top cover shelf support mechanism



C. R. GRAHAM, JR

SPLIT TOP COVER SHELF SUPPORT MECHANISM July 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 26, 1949 mmvraze. Clam/var A Gem/AM (Jfal y 8, 1952 c. R.GRAHAM, JR 2,602,442

SPLIT TOP COVER SHELF SUPPORT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 26, 1949 3Sheets-Sheet 2 HVVENTUR. 6240mm; A Gen/aw J2.

BY aw$ y 8, 1952 c. R. GRAHAM, JR 2,602,442

SPLIT TOP COVER SHELF SUPPORT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 26, 1949 3Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR. 62 4054/05 1Q Gwyn/1J0.

Patented July 8, 1952 SPLIT Tor COVER SHELF SUPPORT MECHANISM ClarenceR. Graham, Jr., Newark, Calif., assignor to James Graham Manufacturing00., Newark, Calii'., a corporation of California Application August 26,1949, Serial No. 112,553

The present invention relates to folding or drop shelves such as used oncooking ranges and particularly those having a sectional hinged topcover foldableon its longitudinal median line to stand the sections onedge against the back guard rail of the stove, the outer section beingsuppor table as a horizontal utility shelf if desired.

.In constructions making use of a section of the top cover of a cookingrange as a shelf, and

with drop shelves generally, some form of support or prop to support theshelf in horizontal position must necessarily be included. It isimportant that the form of prop provided be such as to give dependablesupport when in use and be so located with respect to the working top ofthe range as not to interfere with free use of the working spaces on andadjacent each side of the range.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a construction which socombines the'prop with the range and its shelf as fully to meet therequirements above stated through use of novel features which serve tolocate the props awayfrom the range surface when supporting the shelfand to prevent accidental dislodgement of the props .and consequent fallof the shelf. Another object of the invention is to provide aconstruction which will enable the props to be folded away under theshelf and securely held there when not in use but easily manipulated tobring them into either active or idle position.

The foregoing, as well as other advantages, have been achieved throughemployment of the simple and inexpensive structures and arrangements ofparts hereinafter specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

where: a

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upperhalf portion of a cookingrange having a sectional cover shown in raised position with the propsin shelf supporting position.

Figure 2 is a similar end elevation of the range, etc., seen inFigure 1. I Y

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional end view of the shelf and adjacentback section of therange seen in Figure 2 with surface metal cut away todisclose underlying parts.

Figure 4 is a similar front view of the structure seen in Figure 3 asviewed on section line 4-4 of that figure.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view-of the shelf corner seen in Figures3 and 4 viewed from above, with surface metal cut away to discloseunderlying parts.

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional detail views simi- 6 Claims. (Cl. 126-214),lar to Figures and 5v but showing a modifiedv form of the invention,and v t Figure 8 is a sectional detail view taken on line 8-8 of Figure7.

The novel features characterizing the present invention are hereindisclosed in'connection with a conventional cooking'grang comprising"the rectangular body It and back 'railll'i'. The top cooking units orburners l2, andithe working top ofthe range generally, areTshown'asprovided with a known form, of. sectional cover composed of twinsections [3 hingedly connected together at M and with the inner one ofthe twin cover sections hinged to the range top at 15. Such arrangementprovides a cover which can lie'on the range top in the position shownin' broken lines on Figure 2'or can be folded to stand verticallyagainst the back rail H with the outer section either, closed, .asindicated in broken lines, ,or supported in horizontal position abovethe range to form a utility shelf. An improved form of support for theouter orshelf section of such a cover, as well as for single dropshelves, forms the subject matter of the present invention. 7

The hinged cover sections (3 are pan'shaped, to close over the elevatedburner units'l2, and therefore have a circumferential depending flangeI6. For the purposes of thepresent invention the flange I6 on the shelfforming outer section of the cover is formed or provided on the ends andouter side with a re-entrant flange l! lying parallel to and spaced fromthe under side of the cover section, At each forward corner of thissection the upper surfaceof flange I! has fixed thereto a corner piecel8 which serves to carry one of the two props used to support the shelfsection at its opposite ends. As the two props and associated parts areidentical in ar-' rangement at each end, mere reversal being involved,only one end will be specifically described. The corner piece It abovementioned is angularinform' to fit within'the corner of the shelfsection (Figure 5)fand is riveted or otherwise fixed on the inner sideof flange H. The corner piece I8 is formed with opposite upright earsI9. A bracket comprising a wingjplate 20 is located between the ears l9and has complemental' ears 2| adjacent one edge contacting ears I!) andpivoted thereto onpivot pins 22 so that it may rock on an axistransverse to the length of shelf section [3. The body of wing plate 20'projects outwardly from its pivot and the wing thus provided forms thebracket or carrier for the prop 23 the right angles to the axis on whichthe wing plate is pivoted. The prop 23 i thus pivoted to the under sideof shelf section l3 by a gimbal-like joint which permits the prop toswing towards and fromthe back railof the range as well aslongitudinally towards and from the under side of shelf section 13. Whenthe outer shelf section is not in use as such, the prop-23 is providedwith means (Figure 5) for retaining or housing it on the under side ofthe shelf section within the confines of the marginal flanges l6, H,with the free end of the prop resting on the re-'en.-;

23 is formed with a nose cam 25 on its pivot end which is adapted toride over an end roll 26a formed on a leaf spring 26 secured to an ear28 on wing plate by a bolt and nut 29. With this arrangement, moving thefree end of prop 23 onto flange I! after the prop ha been swung to theunder side of the shelf section will cause the nose cam to ride overroll 26a against spring resistance and releasably hold the prop in theposition seen in Figure 5.

Each of the foldable props 23 is arranged to have its free end swinginto position for lodgment in the end portions of back rail I 1 near theupper edge thereof where a slot 21 is provided in the face of the backrail to receive it. As the slot .lies clear of the position occupied bythe end of the sectional cover when folded against the back rail, theprophas a, straight end 23 offset from its pivoted upper endsufliciently to bring it on the vertical plane coinciding with thelongitudinal middle line .of the slot. Inc dental- ,ly, the offset inthe prop also serves to force the end 23 into frictional contact withflange I! when the prop is folded away and eliminate any loose play. Theslot 21 admits the end of the prop to a downwardly inclined guidechannel 30, Figure '3, formed on the upper end of a vertical plate 3|mounted on a second plate 32 which is secured to a standard 33, formingone of theback rail supports, by bolts 34 which engage a perpendicularflange 35 on the rear edge of the plate. The plate 3| carryingthe guidevchannel is preferably connected to the second plate 32 for angularadjustment about a pivot at 33 through provision of a slot and boltconnection at 31. This provides for adjustment of guide channel 3|] tothe angle required to support the shelf section in exact horizontalposition when the prop is lodged in the channel with its end abuttingthe standard 33. As shownin Figures 3 and 5, the free end of prop 23 isgiven a gooseneck shape terminating in a downward facing hook 38. Thishookis adapted to engage, under certain conditions, in an aperture 39formedin a flange 40 onthe forward edgeof plate 32. With the structurejust described the prop 23 can not be unintentionally withdrawn from theslot 21, as hook .38 will engage the aperture 39 when the end of theprop reaches the slot if the prop is riding its lower edge of its ownweight. However, if disconnection is desired, lifting the props, so thatthey ride the upper edge of the slot, willlift the shelf while causingthe hooks 38 to clear the lower edge of the slot, due tothe gooseneckconformation of the prop ends, whereupon the props can be folded againstthe underside of the shelf section, as before described, and the shelfor cover, lowered. Thereforerelease of the shelf can be effected onlybygrasping and manipulating the props and accidental dropping of the shelfand cover with the props swinging free, as could occur if mere liftingof the shelf were required for release, is eliminated.

The species of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 of thedrawings represents a modified form of construction in which theprovisions against accidental release of the props, above described, arenot included. This species is disclosed in combination with aconventional cooking range comprising the working top 49 and back rail50 together with a folding top cover composed of twin sections 5! hingedtogether at 52 and hinged to the range top at 53. This provides a coverfor the range top which can be either folded against the back rail orused with the outersection forming a utility shelf, as previouslydescribed. The outer or shelf forming section of the cover is of thesame construction as heretofore described, having the circumferentialdepending flange 54 which is formed on the outer side of the shelfforming section with a re-entrant flange 55. The dependent flange 54 at'each end of this section in this species has the prop support securedto its inner side and as the propattachments and related parts are'thesame at each end of the shelf section only one will be described indetail. f V

In this species the prop is directly oonnected'to the inner side offlange 54 by means of spaced ears 56 on which the wing bracket 5'! ispivoted by pivot pins 58. The wing bracket is shown as triangular inform with theprop 59 pivoted to the projecting apex of the bracket at60, thus forming a gimbal-like joint between the prop and shelf section.This allows the prop to be folded under the top of the shelf sectionlongitudinally thereof with its end portion resting on flange 55, asshown in Figures 7 and 8, when the shelf section is not in use, or toengage in the back rail when functioning as a shelf support.

Provision for lodgement of the prop end on the back rail consists of theslot 61 in the upper portion of the rail, adjacent the position occupiedbythe end of the vertical section of the folded cover, and an inclinedguide piece 62 secured toone wing 63 of an angle iron standardconstituting one of the back rail supports the other wing '64 of whichserves as the'abutment for the end of the prop. To facilitateintroduction of the props in slots 6| and avoid binding at the slot whenas the props are being withdrawn as the shelf is lifted, the ends arebeveled on the lower edge as at 65. As the pivot mounting for the propsis on the end flange 54 in this species of the invention, little or noofiset of the prop ends is needed to align them with slots 6|.

As the safety catch is omitted in this species, the props can either bemanipulatedas described in connection with the species of Figures 1 to 5or they can be withdrawn from the back rail by simply lifting the shelfand then folded beneath the shelf section and. onto the supportingflange 55. 7

It will be noted that the invention disclosed provides a fold away shelfsupport for cooking ranges, or the like which iswell away from the rangetop when the shelf is in use and in which the prop ends havecomparatively deep lodgement in theback rail as'a primary provisionagainst accidental release. Mere jarring of the shelf can not withdrawthe props from the back rail. The invention is, of course, applicable tometal drop shelves generally and has been illustrated in connection witha folding range top as butone possible form. Modifications in detailsofconstruction obviously could be made without departure from theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drop shelf structure for a range, or the like, having a cookingtop, a back rail, and a cover hingedly supported on the range above thetop and foldable towards and away from the back rail, with the forwardsection of the cover being adapted to serve as a drop shelf; a proppivotally connected to the underside of the shelf adjacent the forwardedge thereof to swing towards and from the back rail, and complementalmeans on the back rail and free end of the prop for lodging the free endof the prop and preventing its unintentional withdrawal, comprising avertical slot formed in the face of the back rail, an abutment in theback rail spaced rearwardly from the slot, a guide member extendingrearwardlyat a downward inclination from the upper end of the slottowards the abutment and fixed in the back rail, a depending terminalhook on the free end of the prop and means adjacent the lower end of theslot and lying in the path of said hook for engagement thereby when theprop end rides the lower edge of the slot on outward travel.

2. In a drop shelf structure for a range, or the like, having a cookingtop, a back rail, and a cover hingedly supported on the range above thetop and foldable towards and away from the back rail, with the forwardsection of the cover being adapted to serve as a drop shelf; a proppivotally connected to the underside of the shelf adjacent the forwardedge thereof to swing towards and from the back rail, and means on theback rail for lodging the free end of the prop comprising a verticalslot formed in the face of the back rail, an abutment in the back railspaced rearwardly from said slot, and a guide member extendingrearwardly at a downward inclination from the upper end of said slottowards said abutment and fixed in the back rail.

3. In a, drop shelf structure for a range, or the like, having a cookingtop, a back rail, and a cover hingedly supported on the range above thetop and foldable towards and away from the back rail, with the forwardsection of the cover being adapted to serve as a drop shelf; asupporting prop connected to the underside of the shelf adjacent aforward corner thereof by a double pivot support having axes disposed atright angles, means on the back rail for receiving the free end of theprop, and said shelf being formed with a depending marginal flange onits forward edge having an inturned lower edge forming a re-entrantflange spaced from the underside of the shelf, whereby the prop may befolded under the shelf and its end swung onto the upper side of there-entrant flange when idle, or swung towards the back rail to engagesaid receiving means for supporting the shelf.

4. In a drop shelf structure for a range, or the like, having a cookingtop, a back rail, and a cover hingedly supported on the range above thetop and foldable towards and away from the back' rail, with the forwardsection of the cover being adapted to serve as a drop shelf; a propconnected to the underside of the shelf adjacent the forward edgethereof by a support having pivotal connections with the shelf and propthe respective axes of which are at right angles, and means on the backrailfor receiving the free end of the prop, whereby the prop may befolded under the shelf when idle, or swung to engage said means on theback rail to support the shelf.

5. The combination of a hingedly supported shelf, a prop connection atan end of the shelf comprising a bracket pivoted on the underside of theshelf to swing longitudinally thereof, a prop for the shelf pivotallyconnected to the bracket on an axis at right angles to the pivot axis ofthe bracket, prop supporting means on the underside of the shelf adaptedto receive and support the free end of the prop upon movement of theprop on its pivotal connection to the bracket after the bracket and prophave been swung to the underside of the shelf, andv means carried by thebracket for yieldably retaining the prop on said prop supporting means.

6. The combination of a hingedly supported shelf, a prop connection atan end of the shelf comprising a bracket pivoted on the underside of theshelf to swing longitudinally thereof, a prop for the shelf pivotallyconnected to the bracket on an axis at right angles to the pivot axis ofthe bracket, and prop supporting means on the underside of the shelfadapted to receive and support the free end of the prop upon movement ofthe prop on its pivotal connection to the bracket after the bracket andpropv have been swung to the underside of the shelf.

CLARENCE R. GRAHAM, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

